I remember a day or two after Kennedy was killed in '63, my Dad brought home a new Dynamic Eighty Eight. The following summer I remember taking him to the dealer to pick it up after some warranty work. It was the only time I can remember my Dad REALLY losing his cool. His language got worse than I ever heard it.

We drove behind the dealer and there was our car with the engine idling and one of the dealers mechanics sitting inside with the windows rolled up eating a sandwich with the a/c going full blast.

My Dad walked over and opened the door. My Dad is a gentle giant kind of guy. The mechanic looked up and said "what do you want?!" My Dad said "Your sitting in my car )(^(*&)*&%^. You're letting it idle, everybody knows that builds carbon! You're eating in my car, I don't even let my own kids eat in my car! I want you out of there now!

My Dad then told me to take his pickup and go back to the shop. He drove up about 30 minutes later in the Olds. I have no idea what went on in the meeting he had after I left, but I'm sure that it wouldn't have gone over well in Sunday school. He loved that car.

I've never owned an Olds myself and I can't remember ever driving any Olds except for that one. In those days cars didn't last near as long as they do now. My Dad took great care of his cars, but I can remember a number of things going wrong with it.

When I went to Germany in 1969, the guys found out that I was a car guy and I ended up working on a number of the poor GI's rides. The first old MB I ever opened the hood on hooked me. I was so impressed at how these things were built.

The Olds was pretty typical of the American cars of the sixties and compared to the MB's of the sixties were pretty crudely built.

Also Olds is one of, if not THE oldest brand still in existence. It's akin to corporate downsizing I guess, except in this case consolidating brands. There is now no more Plymouth, so I guess losing brands is just Corporate America acting in their infinite wisdom.

Have a great day,